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#DoTheDs You have the ability to attract into your life all your wants and needs by following the Five D’s Decide what you want, Determine to make it happen, Diligently do everything in your power to achieve the goal, and Detach yourself from the result #RealRealty #1Bethesda #GA123 #B4uVote #2r1wm
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Contact:
Danielle Veira, 202.731.7901
dveira@advocatesforcommunityhealth.org
MEDIA ADVISORY
Advocates for Community Health and the National Press Club Host Panel of Community Health Center Leaders to Address Workforce Shortage Crisis and COVID-19
Advocates urge Congress to act now to ensure access to comprehensive care for millions of Americans in need
WASHINGTON – Join Advocates for Community Health (ACH) and the National Press Club on Tuesday, February 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET for a virtual briefing with community health center leaders from across the country as they share the challenges their overstretched workforce is facing and urge leaders in Washington to take action to invest in immediate and long-term solutions. With 1 in 11 Americans receiving their health care from community health centers, funding to support their workforce is more important now than ever.
Federally qualified community health centers (FQHCs) have a decades-long record of providing comprehensive care to nearly 30 million patients in underserved communities nationwide each year. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, these hyper-local health care hubs have been instrumental in providing testing, vaccinations, and continued comprehensive care for populations in need. They employ more than 250,000 people, spur local economies, and save the health care system $24 billion annually.
In 2021, health centers administered more than 13 million vaccines and 12 million COVID tests, the majority of which were delivered to BIPOC communities, and these numbers continue to climb daily. Beyond this, health centers bring preventative services and comprehensive care to uninsured/underinsured, low-income, rural, and marginalized communities that often have no alternative source for medical care. These organizations employ a diverse workforce that reflects the communities they serve and that workforce—like health care staff nationwide—is overstretched and experiencing extreme burnout.
WHO:
Amanda Ascher, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Sun River Health
Kerry L. Hydash, MPA, President & CEO, Family HealthCare Network
Parinda Khatri, PhD, Chief Clinical Officer, Cherokee Health Systems
Amanda Pears Kelly, CEO, Advocates for Community Health and Executive Director, Association of Clinicians for the Underserved
WHAT: This virtual briefing will include remarks from each health center leader, a moderated discussion, and live Q&A. Credentialed media can register to attend here. Members of the media interested in securing an interview with any of the panelists can reach Danielle Veira at dveira@advocatesforcommunityhealth.org.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST.
Additional information: A recent report from Capital Link predicted that, based on patient growth trends, FQHCs are on track to serve up to 38.5 million patients in 2025. For these services to meet our quality standards, health centers would need to invest approximately $17.5 billion over the next five years to adequately serve patients and also maintain system capacity.
The Build Back Better Act includes critical funding for health center infrastructure and workforce development, including $2B for health center infrastructure, $3.37B in Teaching Health Center GME, $650M for the National Health Service Corps, and $200M for the Nurse Corps. While this is much less than health centers need to ensure millions of Americans have life-saving healthcare access, it could serve as a foundational investment with proven record of return. Unfortunately, with the current legislative environment in Washington, this bill is unlikely to move forward and urgent funding for health centers is hanging in the balance.
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About Advocates for Community Health
Advocates for Community Health is a membership organization for large, federally qualified health centers that strives to advance the delivery of health care to underserved populations and to achieve health equity for patients and communities in need. We are committed to working collaboratively to advance well-defined and forward-thinking policies at the national level. By leveraging the wisdom, agility, and innovation of our members, ACH brings bold leadership to drive change in the American healthcare system. To learn more about membership and partnership opportunities, visit www.advocatesforcommunityhealth.org.
The right candidate tapped into this powerful coalition
A look back at how we got here…
Almost a decade ago, America experienced a tragedy that tested the spirit of the entire nation, especially one of our most historic cities–Boston. That city was indeed resilient, so was no doubt that this senseless act of violence would only catalyze their renaissance. As our thoughts and prayers went out to the families affected by that terrible event, they were already showing signs of bouncing back.
As Boston grappled with the economic, cultural, and judicial effects of that event, the political dynamics surrounding the city’s future were beginning to solidify. Remember that their population increased significantly in the ten years prior. Yes, Boston grew 4.8% to 617,594, and it had over 85,000 “key” Voters of Color, but that only explains part of the story.
To understand Boston, you have to understand its historical role in shaping American politics. Their reputation for producing national leaders is a civic marvel and the stuff of political legends. Progressive Whites and People of Color (POC) are central to this history and have many stories to share about their “Pre-Civil War” Beacon Hill community. They will tell you with pride about the African Meeting House – the oldest surviving African American church tower in the nation – where notables such as Fredrick Douglass and Sojourner Truth waged many early civil rights battles alongside progressive Whites.
Present-day, they will tell you how surreal it feels to watch President Obama, Attorney General Holder, Governor Patrick, and their current Mayor serve as civic leaders. Not to mention how amazing it must be to see their beloved city embrace people of color as American leaders. Especially Bostonians living in neighborhoods like Roxbury and Dorchester- two majority-minority communities – are excited about the changing face of politics. It’s truly a new day when multiple POC candidates ran for Mayor and city council and won.
Of course, it’s tricky to measure the political effect this set of events will have on the consciousness of the national electorate–however, there are signs. While “flashpoint” political impressions are hard to quantify, the fundamentals of Boston began to solidify years ago:
There were a lot of candidates running for Mayor in 2013, and that split the independent vote share at least four ways. However, it was Voters of Color who were affected the most. That race created a path to elect a Person of Color as Mayor with the right candidate, message, and brilliant voter registration and turnout program.
Please make no mistake, it took a block by block community organizing effort, but Bostonians have a history of voting for the candidate representing their interests. They’ve been waiting with eager anticipation for the opportunity to vote for a candidate that dares to stand up for all Americans. Just as in Patrick’s governor’s race, the right candidate tapped into this powerful coalition of progressive Whites and Voters of Color.
The marathon tragedy brought together this patriotic city like never before, and the positive energy that Bostonians projected became the catalyst for positive change in their politics.
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Kirk Clay is the President of Capitol View Advisors — a collaborative acting on its values in creative and strategic ways to connect communities with the information and resources they need to support and further their aspirations.
KirkClay.com 